The 2023 Catalyst Leadership Challenge

Each team will design a creative organizational project that demonstrates “unconventional" thinking and accelerated action. The new project mush expand nonprofit outreach and service impact.

Expectations: Teams have between 3 to 5 board AND staff members in any combination. Teams will also act as advisors and provide input to other teams in the workshop.

Requirements for attendance: organization must be 501(c)(3), active for at least 2 years, teams include both board and staff.

Session 1: Saturday, September 23 - Leader As Catalyst: Development, Craft, Artistry: confronts societal conditioning; analyzes factors blocking creative thinking; evaluates time and effort; and enhances standards of excellence.

Session 2: Saturday, October 7 - Project Design and Self-Leadership Goals: guides teams to develop, refine, and implement challenging projects with both board members and executive staff playing meaningful roles in designing and accomplishing all project aspects.

Session 3: Saturday, October 28 - Catalyst Project Presentations: showcases how the nonprofit teams rise to the challenge, including sharing stories and data confirming how new projects were envisioned and objectives achieved. Teams will describe outcomes and leadership insights that apply and have been incorporated into the organizational mission and operations.

Leslie A Hennessy, PhD, JD, served 35 years as a senior executive for an international manufacturing company with an emphasis on marketing and business development. Along with graduate degrees in international studies (MA), business management (MBA), leadership studies (PhD) and law (JD), she has practical business experience, extensive academic study, and a diverse research background. Author: Activating Creativity: Insights & Wisdom of MacArthur Fellows (2017).

Randall P Kunkel, PhD, CEO Catalyst International, advises senior executives on creative, unconventional thinking, strategies, performance, and innovative practices. Challenges unconscious, societal conditioning that results in underestimating our gifts and talents, unknowingly accepting average as a goal. Created Performance Craft and Artistry Model. Graduate, West Point, U.S. Military Academy; MS Educational Psychology, MBA, PhD Leadership & Innovation. Author: The Illusion of Good Enough (2015); The Illusion of Good Enough: A College Student’s Challenge for Excellence (2017); The Illusion of Impossible (2021).

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

University of San Diego, 5998 Alcala Park Way, San Diego, United States